Latch strike



June 4, 1929. L, QTTINGER l 1,715,672

LATCH STRIKE Filed May 13, 1927 INVENTOR Pil-rented June 4, l1929-.

" LEON o'rrmena, or NEW-Yoan, N. Y,

LATCH s'rnxn.

.Application led Hay 13,v 1927. Serial No. 191,027.

This invention relates tolatch strikes and while of more or less generaly application, is

ized which will be positive andreliable for the purpose in view,of maximum durability especially designed for use in connection with\ and which can be produced at comparatively the door latches of automobiles and similar small manufacturing cost.

vehicles.

It is .the primary object and purpose of my present invention to provide certain improvements in a device of this character asshown .and 'described in m co-pendinglapplication' ffor patent Serial o; 182,229, ed April 9, 1927, whereby, as the door is closed, in the projection of the latch bolt, the door will be positively crowded to its closed position, while at the same time insuring an easy and unretarded retraction movement of the latch bolt by the operation of'the latch handle when it is desired to open the door.

More particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide means for applying the crowding pressure against the extreme end edge of the latch bolt and in an oblique direction towards the hinged side of the door+ instead of against the outer face of the latch bolt and in a direction at right angles to its length. Thus, the release ofthe crowding vpressure will be facilitated at the start of the retraction movement of the bolt, though the 'angle of application of the crowding pressure against the bolt is not sufficient to result in a repression of the latch bolt by a force applied against the inner side of the door whereby the latter might be accidentally released for movement to an open position.

In one practical embodiment of my present improvements, I attain the above-mentioned purpose by the provision of a strike plate of more or less conventional form secured to the door post or pillar and provided at its inner end with a surface extending in a plane at an acute angle with respect to the line of projection of the latch bolt and with which only the extreme end edge of the bolt at the 'uncture of the side and end surfaces thereof as bearing Contact. Preferably, and in order to reduce frictional resistance to the retraction movement of the bolt to a minimum, this inclined bearing surface for the latch bolt is movable relative to the strike plate. This movable bearing surface may be incorporated in various mechanical forms, such as an endless metalchainmounted in the end of the strike plate, or a rotatable disc suitably connected with the end of said plate.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide a device as` above character- Cil With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the improved latch strike, andtimthe form, .construction and relativearrangement ofits several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subse- -quentl incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In t e drawings, wherein I have illustratedseveral simple and practicle embodiments of my present invention, andin which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,"

. Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through apart of the pillar and the free edge of a vehicle door illustrating one embodiment of my present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View on an enlarged scale of the latch strike shown in Fig. l; y

Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in section illustrating an alternative embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. .4 is an end elevation of the latch strike shown-in Fig. 3. i

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, for purposes of illustration, I have shown a portion of a door pillar 5 and the free vertical edge portion of the door 6 which is adapted to close against said pillar. As herein shown, this door at its outer side is provided with a laterally projecting flange 7 to contact against the outer side face of the pillar when the door is in its closed position. However, this arrangement may be reversed if desired, and the stop flange 7 provided on the pillar 5. In the inner face of the door, the latch 8 having the usual sprin projected bolt 9 is mounted. This latch maygbe of any conventional or approved construction.

The side face of the door pillar 5 opposed to the door opening is providedwith a suitable mortise indicated at 10 extending transversely of the pillar. Within this mortise the strike plate 11 is positioned, said plate having its rear face in contact with the base wall of the mortise 10 and to which said plate is secured by a plurality of screws, one of which is indicated at 12. The front side face of the strike plate is provided with the usual stepped inclined surfaces 13 and 14 respectively, and

the surface 13 is formed with suitable countersinks receiving the heads of the attaching Screws 12.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the inner end face of the strike plate 11 is provided with a sect-ion 16 extending transversely of the strike plate in a plane substantially at right angles to the length thereof and with a section 17. which is positioned in a plane obliquely inclined with respect to the section 16 of said end face. This end of the strike plate is centrally provided with a recess 18 of suitable depth, and

side of the strike plate is substantially entirely positioned within the recess 18 between the sections 16 of the end face of said plate. The outer surface of the movable chain is however, positioned beyond the end face sections 17, and the rods or rollers 19 are arranged to support said chain for movement in a plane parallel with said face sections 17.

From the above description, it will be understood that as the door 6 is moved to its closed position, after the bolt is first repressed against the action of the latch sprlng by striking against the outer inclined surface 13 on the strike plate, said bolt engages the inclined surface 14 on said plate and slides over the same to a position beyond the sections 16 of the end face of said plate. At this time the door is in a substantially fully closed position, and the bolt is forcibly projected by the latch spring so that its extreme end edge is brought into contact with the surface of the flexible metal chain 20 substantially yat the point of juncture of the end face sections 16 and 17 of the strike plate. Under the continued expansive force of` the latch spring andthe bearing pressure of the bolt, the chain 20 is moved relative to the strike plate 11 and applies an inward crowding pressure against the end edge of the bolt, thereby drawing the flange 7 on the door tightly against the face of the door pillar and taking up all looseness which would permit of a rattling contact of the bolt end against the strike plate'due to vibratory forces transmitted through the door structure. As shown in the drawings, the movable surface of the chain 10 is positioned in an obliquely inclined plane of about 15 with respect to the plane of the outer4 face of the latch bolt as indicated by the line A so that said chain is entirely out of contact with the outer face of the latch bolt and applies the crowding pressure against the extreme end edge of the bolt and in an inward direction towards the hinged side of the door as indicated by the line B, instead of in a direction at an angle of 90 with respect to the latch bolt and againstthe outer side face thereof. This angle of direction of the crowding pressure 1s not however, sufncient to cause the flexible chain or the sections 17 of the end face of the strike plate if the bolt is brought into cont-act therewith, to repress the bolt against the action of the latch spring whe an outward pressure is exerted against. the inner side of the door and which might possibly result in the accidental opening of the door. Such complete repression of the latch bolt out of contactwith the strike plate would also be prevented owing to the end face' sections 16 on the strike plate which would engage the outer side face of the bolt before the bolt end could be repressed beyond vthe inclined face 14 of the strike plate. Thereupon, the latch spring .would again act to project the bolt into engagement with the inclined surface of the movable chain 20.

In Figs. '3 and 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated a somewhat different mechanical formof the bolt crowding means. In this instance, the intermediate or central portion of the strike plate at its inner end is provided with the two surface sections 16 and 17 respectively, disposed in lrelatively different planes 'while the remaining portions of the end surface of the plate at either side of said intermediate portion thereof are positioned in a single inclined plane as indicated at 17- extending entirely across said end. of the strike plate between the front inclined surface 14 and its rear face and in spaced parallel relation to the intermediate inclined surface 17. In other words, the part of the plate having thesurfaces 16 and 17 constitutes a central lug or projection on the end of the strike plate.

Upon eac-h of the inclined .surfaces 17 a of the strike plate a disc 21, preferably of metal is rotatably mounted. While various devices might be employed for connecting said discs with the strike plate, I have shown each of these discs provided with a central opening 22 having a counterbored or enlarged section 23 opening upon the outer face of the to thereby prevent a tight frictional engagement of the screw head against the flangeor shoulder 24, and thus permit of the free rotarymovement of the disc- It will be noted" from reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings that the outer faces of these discs are positioned in a common plane outwardly of the inclined intermediate surfacev17 on the end of the. strtilllre plate and in parallel relation therew1 In this last described form of the invention, the strike plate is of greater width than the width of the latch bolt 9, and as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, when the latch bolt is projected inthe closed position of the door, its end edge engages the inner adjacent portions of the two discs 21 so that under the projecting force of the latch spring and the pressure of the latch bolt, the said discs are rotated in relatively opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4.- These discs prevent contact of the end edge of the latch bolt against the inclined surface 17 of thcstrike plate and thus provide movable bearing surfaces. Since however, these surfaces are obliquely inclined relative to the line of movement of the latch bolt, itis apparent that the latch bolt will be crowded towards its closed position and that the rotatable discs will thus function to hold the door tightly closed and prevent rattling while ermitting of the easy retracting motion ofp the latch bolt, in the same manner as the movable metallic chain heretofore described. If desired or found/necessary, it is apparent that the surfaces 17a of the strike plate and the opposed surfaces of the discs 21 may be provided with suitable annular grooves or raceways to receive anti-friction bearing balls, and thus insure the free rotation of the discs.-

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of the disclosed embodiments of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. It will be seen that my present improvements eliminate the necessity of using springs of any kind as heretofore. employed in connection with the bolt crowding dogs, while at the same time, owing to the movable mounting of the crowdingv member and the direction of application of the crowding pressure relative to the line of movement of the bolt, the retraction movement of said bolt by the operation of the latch handle will be entirely free and unretarded. At the same time, the device effectively prevents rattling of the door or of the latch bolt against the strike plate and also obviates the possibility of accidental opening of the door by pressure againstthe inner side thereof and serious accidents which might result therefrom. It will further beseen that the necessary structural alterations` in the conventional form of strike plate in order to adapt my present improvements thereto are of a minor character. Thus, the invention is particularly desirable for use in vconnection with automobile door latches and asan tempof the hardware equipment of such vehicles will not appreciably increase the manufacturin or selling cost thereof. l

While have herein shown and described a preferred construction and relative arrangement of the several elements 1n the sevfairly embodied within the spirit and scope` of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a door latch having a spring projected latch bolt, keeper means including a movabl7 mounted member having a bearing surface positioned in a plane obliquely inclined in the direction of movement of the latch bolt when the door is closed and movable in said plane upon engagement ofthe bolt therewith under the action of the latch spring to exert a progressive crowdin pressure against the end edge of the latch bolt in the projection thereof at an angle of less than with respect to the line of'projection ofthe bolt and in the direction of retraction movement of the latch bolt.

2. In combination with a door latch having a spring projected latch bolt, keeper means including a relatively fixed strike plate, and a bolt crowdin member movably mounted upon the end o said strike plate having a bearing surface permanently positioned in a plane obliquely inclined in the direction of movement of the latch bolt when the door is closed and adapted to be engaged by the end edge of the bolt and moved thereby in said inclined plane under the force of the latch spring to progressively crowd the bolt to a closed position.

3. In combination with a door latch having a spring projected latch bolt, keeper means including a relatively fixed strike plate, and an endless bolt crowding member movably mounted on the end of the strike plate and having a bolt engaging surface positioned in a plane obliquely inclined in the direction of movementof the latch bolt and beyond the end face of the strike plate, said member adapted to enga e the end edge of the bolt under the force og the latch spring to thereby move said surface in said obliquely inclined plane and exert a progressive crowding pressure on the latch bolt at an angle of less than v 90 with respect to the line of projection of the bolt and in the direction of retraction movement of the latch bolt.

4. In combination with a door latch having a spring projected latch bolt, keeper means including a relatively fixed strike plate having a recess in one end, an endless metallic chain movably supported in said recess, sald chain being obliquely inclined transversely of the strike plate and havin a movable bolt engaging surface positione in a plane beyond the end face of the strike plate and at an angle of approximately 159 with respect to the outer side face of the latch bolt whereby said surface is engaged by the end edge of the latch bolt under the force of the latch spring to move said endless chain as the bolt is projected and progressively crowd the latch bolt towards a closed osition.

5. In combination, a strike plate for door latches, and a bolt crowding member movably mounted on one end of said strike plate and having a bolt engagin surface permanently positioned in a single o liquely inclined plane with respect to the end face of the strike plate.

6. In combination, a strike plate for door latches, and a bolt crowding member movablyv mounted on one end ofthe strike plate and having a bolt engagin surface extending transversely of the strie plate and permanently positioned in a single obliquely inclined plane beyond the end face of the strike plate.

7. In combination, 'a strike plate for door latches, and endless bolt crowding member,

and means for movably supporting said member upon one end of the strike plate with a bolt engaging surface of said member permanently positioned in a single obliquely in# clined plane with respect to the end face of the strike plate. y

y 8. In combination, a strike plate for door latches having a recess in one end, an endless flexible metallic chain supported in said recess for movement transversely of the strike plate,

and having a bolt engaging surface positioned in an obliquely inclined plane beyond the end faceof the strike plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

LEON OTTINGER. 

